The Supreme Court of Uganda will be moving to a new location “next week”, the registrar of the court Harriet Ssali has confirmed.

The Judiciary Top Management has bowed to pressure and relocated the Supreme Court to Plot 5 Lourdel Road opposite the Ministry of Health headquarters, following severe public criticism of their decision on May 30 to indefinitely suspend the operations of the top court after a fire outbreak in its former premises at Kololo.

On Wednesday, November 23, 2022, The Observer published a critical opinion by top human rights lawyer and activist Isaac Ssemakadde condemning the apex court judges for earning billions yet they are not working at full capacity.

“A session of the Supreme court would require just five or seven judges, some support staff, a few lawyers and their clients, and select representatives of the media and the public. This number would clearly be under 100 people.” Mr Ssemakadde commented in The Observer.

“It is surely possible to find many alternative cost-free venues for the Supreme court to sit in today, and serve the people of Uganda without excuse. If the judicial system is to deliver on its constitutional mandate, the example must be set from the top. What we are seeing here is not a good example.”

Earlier on October 3, 2022, Justice Dr Esther Kisaakye Kitimbo had also sued the Chief Justice Alphonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo and the Judiciary Permanent Secretary Pius Bigirimana over the indefinite closure of the top court.

Now, a three member delegation from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), led by the Chairperson Benjamin Kabiito, has just visited the new premises of the Supreme Court in the former headquarters of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to confirm their readiness of the premises for occupation by the Judiciary.

He was accompanied by Commissioners Ms Norah Matovu and Hajji Lubega Waggwa Badru and the Judiciary Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Judiciary Pius Bigirimana.